The Dictator

Chapter Seven

Alina ran full pelt across the school grounds, trying to escape reality. But how could she, when reality didn't seem real?But then she thought; if reality was not real then what was the point of life? The answer came just too easilly. Life did not have a point. Her feet, from just trying to get away from everything, suddenly found a purpose. Everything made perfect sense now, even things that should never in the history of the universe make sense.

Finally she reached her destination, the school lake. She remembered the many thousands of times she had sat with her friends and joked about matters of insignificance. Oh how stupid she had been. Panting, she hurled herself down into the blue depths, willing them to ferry her into obliteration. Sadly, dying was never that simple. To die by drowning, one must attempt to inhale water. When this happens, the water flows down into the lungs, which quickly cease to operate.

So before Alina could die, first she had to inhale water. Now Alina was not stupid. She knew it was against all human instincts. So, closing her eyes against the stinging waters, she swam down, searching blind for something to grab. Finally, she found an old tree root sticking out of the lake bed. Taking hold of it, she held herself down till she was gasping for breath, as weak as a puppy. But just as she prepared to give up the fight, and take a breath, the cruel joke of madness lifted. Alina realised that she did not wish to die. She craved life and the soothing reassuringness of consciousness.

Panicing she let go of the root, and tried to swim for the surface. But no. She couldn't make it. It was to late. Too late. The gloomy waters around her seemed to whisper the words in her ears. "No." she screamed inside her head. But she knew the waters were right. She had left it too late. She gave up the fight. She felt strong arms gripping her, ready to pull her down, down into the deepest crevices of oblivion. But wait. The arms were pulling the wrong way. Upwards they took her, to the surface of the cruel water, into another world of fresh green grass and mesmerizing blue sky.

And in this beautiful amazing world stood another person, a boy. His grey eyes had a fresh, long look of love in them. Flynn hugged her. And then she passed out.